Riverwatch Middle School Panther Camp

1. August 4, 2014 Riverwatch Middle School Panther Camp

2. Nature of Middle School Student How to Enjoy Living with a Preadolescent:

3. Common Middle School Characteristics

4. *Forgetting *One of the earliest signs of approaching adolescence! • UNDERSTANDING *Valid *Normal *Mental Clutter/Pre-occupation/Stress • COPING *It isn’t purposeful *Use creative reminders in lieu of nagging  EXAMPLES: Doorknobs, signs, mirrors, phones, bulletin boards, backpacks, lunch boxes *Encourage DAILY lists • SUPPORT *Guide them gently *Help them – don’t nag them *Be prepared – keep a supply stash on hand 

5. *Irritability • Middle Schoolers often have episodes of extreme irritability • Built up energy • Hormonal changes • New stressors • Tips for Parents: • Arguing will almost always escalate the problem – wait them out! • Listen to frustrations without prying or lecturing • If you need to reprimand, focus on specific behaviors! • Don’t let their mood ruin your mood – be a source of stability for them

6. *Power Plays What is happening: • Inevitable • Seeking independence • Stemming from a sense of powerless May include: • Non-verbal tantrums • Smarting off • Manipulating siblings, parents, & friends What can parents do: • Think ahead • Don’t give into manipulation • Disengage • Don’t use power unless it is urgent

7. *Friendships What’s happening: • Turbulent times • Tend to drift away from each other • Pick new friends • Need to belong Good Friendships: • Accept us as we are • Don’t needlessly criticize • Back us up when we’re right and pick us up when we are down Guideline to make it through: • Expect to be left out • Create an early and strict curfew • Have a strong stance against unsupervised gatherings • Parents work together • Don’t be afraid to approach other parents and your school

8. *Chores • Chores help kids learn responsibility • Chores give kids a sense that their contributions are needed and valued • Tips for parents: • Give very clear / specific directions • Demonstrate chores first to ensure understanding • Don’t demand perfection • Praise, praise, praise • Be consistent with expectations • No deadlines – use the when / then technique • Ex. “When the windows are clean, then you may watch TV.”

9. *Worries • Worries manifest in different ways. • Need to belong • Showing BRAVADO • Withdrawal • Be their SAFE HAVEN! • Consistency • Stability/Security • Reassurance • VALIDATION! • RE-DIRECT • Encourage outside activities/clubs/service projects • Engage and connect • LISTEN!

10. *Joys Rules for Gaining Joy!!!! • Don’t take it personally • Continue to be a parent • Appreciate your child’s strengths • Take time when it is available • Talk with other parents • Keep in touch with the school

11. Internet Safety • Students who use the internet for social networking are very likely to be exposed to pornography, violence, and hate speech. • If your child has access to social networking platforms (twitter, instagram, vine, etc), please have frequent discussions and check-ups with them about safe, appropriate use of these sites, including the importance of: • Making their account private or locked • Only friending or following accounts of people they know in person • Only accepting friend or follow requests from people they know in person • Ignoring, blocking, and reporting vulgar or mean spirited material • Ignoring, blocking, and reporting ANY ANONYMOUS accounts • Ex. @hotgirlzofriverwatch, @rms_banana, @riverwatch_people_I_hate

12. Internet Safety • Visit www.netsmartz.org for more information and tips on how to help your children stay safe in the digital world. • Safety apps exist like - http://www.smartshepherd.com/ • Talk with your service provider to find one that will work with your child’s phone.

13. Internet Safety • “It is not enough to sit by and assume that your kids are going to do the right thing, because good kids, smart kids, that do the right things in lots of aspects of life, still do goofy things on the internet and social networking sites. Kids are going to post photos and personal information..At least moms and dads should learn about what they’re doing. If you don’t know that your child has a Myspace page (Twitter, Instagram, Vine, etc.), you better find out, and you better talk to them about how they are using it and what they are doing to make sure that they use it safely and responsibly.” -Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

14. Self-Advocacy • Students in Middle School should be learning to ask questions or seek resolution to their problems themselves. • Parents can assist students by: • Encouraging them to keep up with their assignments using Itslearning! • Helping them practice approaching and talking to teachers • Following up with teachers to verify that the student came and talked to the teacher

15. HELPFUL RESOURCES • The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens By Sean Covey • Parenting Teens with Love & Logic: Preparing Adolescents for Responsible Adulthood By Foster Cline, Jim Fay  • Screamfree Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool • By Hal Edward Runkel • The Good Enough Teen: Raising Adolescents with Love and Acceptance (Despite How Impossible They Can Be) By Brad E. Sachs • The Overlooked Generation: Parenting Teens and Tweens in a Complicated Culture By Shannon Perry • Queen Bees and Wannabes By Rosalind Wiseman • Masterminds & Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope By Rosalind Wiseman • Surviving Ophelia: Mothers Share Their Wisdom in Navigating the Tumultuous Teenage Years by Cheryl Dellasega • Ophelia Speaks: Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self By Sara Shandler • Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls By Mary Bray Pipher • Teenage Boys!: Shaping the Man Inside : Surviving & Enjoying These Extraordinary Years By William Beausay, Bill Beausay • Why Boys Don’t Talk--and Why It Matters: A Parent's Survival Guide to Connecting with Your Teen By Susan Morris Shaffer, Linda Perlman Gordon • A Fine Young Man: What Parents, Mentors, and Educators Can Do to Shape Adolescent Boys Into Exceptional Men By Michael Gurian

16. Panther Spirit… Get involved! • Clubs… Art Club, Builders Club, FCA, etc. • Intramurals in the mornings • Dances • Athletic events (Only 7th and 8th may compete) • Check the calendar frequently for dates!

17. Welcome to Riverwatch and thank you for coming today! • Remember: • No need to come to 7th and 8th Grade Open House this afternoon. • The first day of school is Thursday, August 7. • Attendance will be taken promptly at 9:00a.m.